, 1887-10-14
NEW YORK JANIIoR,s LEE.
Not Altogether "a Happy Existence-Hi
Ardnona Dutles-W Wages.

Not Altogether "a Happy Existence-HIs
Arduous DutIes-wages.
"a ianitOr's life is not altogether a
happy one" aid the %janitor of a large
down town building devoted to banks, in
surance companies and lawyers offices.
His chief enemy is the Office boy. Any
office boy who sets his mind upon it can
secure the discharge of a ~janitor. How?
He muses. up his employers Office, scat
ters papers about, gets the employer
angry, and lays it all on the ~janitor.
The boy protests with the innocence of a
heather Chinee with n deck of cards up
his sleeve that he found the office just
that way when he came in. His en-
ployer believes him and complains of the
%Janitor, and if the thing is persisted in he
perhaps makes it a personal grievance.
It's of little use for the janitor to deny
the charge of negligence. If he does he
Is put down for a liar as well as a drone,
and his departure is likely to be fastened"
But do not j~anitors hold pretty steadily
to their places3"
"No, h contrary is the fact" replied
the veteran %janitor. 81 have been here
nearly twenty-eight years, but / can think
OF but one other building, even among
those Of recent construction, in which
there have not been several changes of
janitors."
what is the ~reasonlh
One reason is that the duties of a jan
itor are very difficult to attend to prop
erly, although a contrary impression is
prevalent. AS 1 nave pointed out, he
must keep on good terms with the tenants
of the building, and this requires tact as
well as industry, and even these will not
always accomplish it If there is a mali
cious small boy around. Another reason
is that the duties of the place are not
healthy. A ~janitor goes into an Office
after the occupants ave gone, and at GER
tain seasons of the year he finds the win
dows closed. He opens the windows and
begins sweeping. While the draught of
cool air plays upon him from without, his
lungs inhale the cloud Of dust that rises
within the apartment. This cannot be
healthy, and pulmonary and other diseases
are the frequent result"
But you nave at least the satisfaction
of living high up in the cool air in these
summer months"
"That is true; but there, again, the
janitor's lot is not as happy as 1t seems.
The air up there is cool, it Is true, but it
is ahso laden with all the foulness and eff
huvium that naturally rises from below;
and on damp, hot days it is extremely op-
pressive near the top. For my own idea
of comfort give me the first floor. 1t is
certain that the families of ~janitors are
frequently visited by sickness and death,
and this does not speak well for the
healthfulness of their quarters. But jan
have one advantage, and that is com
parative seclusion for their families from
the associations OF the street. They are
enabled to bring up their children in conn
parative privacy"
How are j~anitors paidp"
SIN the largest buildings by the owners,
at rates varying from 800 to $3.50 a
month; in the smaller buildings by the
tenants, at from 80 to 800 a tenant. In
the large buildings offices are let with the
services of the ~janitor. Of course the
janitor's rent is free. Not only the clean
liness, but the preservation of a building
depends much upon having the right kind
of ~janitor. See that marble, +" pointing to
a well preserved marble flooring; "but for
the care with which l have that washed
night after night it would present a very
appearance, and soon be in
grained with dirt that could not be got
out. After awhile owners Will learn bet
than most of them know now how
much the value Of their property depends
on the %janitor, and then ~janitors will be
more carefully selected, and hold their
places longer when selected New York